Full-Day Milford Sound Extraordinaire Tour from Te Anau
5
Full-Day Milford Sound Extraordinaire Tour from Te Anau
By Fiordland Tours
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
About
In addition to a sightseeing cruise on Milford Sound, this full-day tour includes guided walks to the Chasm and Marian Cascade. Admire this continuous waterfall, which drains from a glacier-fed lake into the UNESCO-listed fiord. You’ll also visit Gunns Camp, relax with morning tea, and hear commentary on plentiful wildlife.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 5-69, max of 15 per group
Duration: 10h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
Highlights
- Milford Sound combo: sightseeing cruise plus nature hikes
- Walk at Mirror Lakes, Marian Cascade, and the Chasm
- Morning tea: scones, biscuits, chocolates, and fruit juice
- Hotel pickup and drop-off provided from Te Anau
Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best
2024
- National Park fees
- Coffee and/or Tea
- Driver/guide
- Live commentary on board
- Local guide
- Hotel pickup and drop-off from Te Anau
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Entry/Admission - Fiordland Tours
What's not included- Drinks
- Hotel Pick up from Manapouri (available by special arrangement. Additional costs may apply)
- Start:Traveller pickup offered.
- 210 Milford Road, Te Anau 9600, New ZealandYou may come to our address at 7:40 am on the morning of your tour. We are at 210 Milford Road, Te Anau. You will see a sign for Birchwood Cottages and then the NZ flag and a sign on the fence for “Fiordland tours/Milford Sound”. Come down the long drive and park on the grass on your left.
Pickup details- Departure Point: Your accommodation in Te Anau please contact supplier after booking to define your pickup location. Dates: Daily Return point: Your accommodation in Te Anau.
Additional pickup optionsDuring checkout you will be able to select from the list of included pickup points.- 210 Milford Road, Te Anau 9600, New Zealand
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Infant seats available
- Not wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 41793P1- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Most travellers can participate
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- A minimum of 4 people is required to operate the tour
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travellers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 41793P1
From
£129.58
per adult
Select date and travellers
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Similar experiences
Itinerary
- 1
- 2
- 3
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- X3059EUmarilynm0 contributionsA great tour made even better by the unexpected kea encounters!The full day tour from Te Anau was amazing! Our guide Tanya prioritized our safety on the slightly icy roads and clearly loved her job. She was knowledgeable, made sure we saw all that we could, and baked us scones! The Milford Sound cruise was perfect; we had to pinch ourselves to believe we were in such beautiful territory. The snowcapped mountain tops and permanent waterfalls were breathtaking. The unexpected meeting with the endemic keas was so fun! They have such beautiful colors underneath. The early cruise at 10:30 am meant we could make stops in the afternoon where we enjoyed the sunshine and took awesome photos to remember the day forever! We were back in Te Anau by 5 pm. My daughters and I enjoyed ourselves immensely.Written 27 May 2024
- 116SarahP0 contributionsExcellent tripExcellent small group tour of Milford Sound. Our driver / guide, Tania was very friendly and informative. As well as experiencing Milford Sound we leant a lot about New Zealand.Written 22 March 2024
- lisapK8331BZ0 contributionsWe had an A+ experience, even in the rainSasha was the best guide ever. She is such an accomplished woman. She is experienced in so many avenues and has hiked seemingly all of the tracks. She made our trip. The jetboat was fun and we enjoyed John's humor too. Ray is an excellent tour operatorWritten 25 February 2024
- alicemT3382MI0 contributionsWould thoroughly recommendBrilliant day. We did the Small Group Tour from Te Anau. Collected from our accommodation and driven to Milford via plenty of photo ops, including Keas and the unforgettable Mirror Lakes. The boat trip of the Sound was excellent. Our driver/guide Sacha was fun and very knowledgeable. Everything worked super efficiently. Altogether it was a magical day (and much less exhausting than driving yourself!)Written 23 February 2024
- dianeaN3691XP0 contributionsTrip of a lifetimeFabulous tour only made better by our Driver/guide Karlyn. The photo opportunities, the lunch the cruise was all awesomeWritten 10 February 2024
- jardeb20170 contributionsAwesomeFantastic day! great tour starting and finishing in Te Anau means you have way more time to spend around Milford Sound and heaps more stops to enjoy this magical place! Karlyn our driver and guide was “sweet as bro” one of the best we have had, informative, passionate and funny. His amusing and awesome photos and quick photography lesson were an added bonus! Could not recommend this tour highly enough.Written 4 February 2024
- Steves_Rickshaw0 contributionsExcellent day!We just did the Full Day Milford Sound from Te Anau. What fun! Our driver was fun and entertaining. Lots and lots of stops for pictures, some longer but plenty of short stops to keep the day moving and providing lots of great pictures and experiences.Written 2 February 2024
- Harshil S0 contributionsGreat way to see Milford Sounds at peace!Excellent tour! Our driver Stephen was so knowledgeable and happy to answer lots of questions, very easy to talk to and be flexible with the itinerary. Milford Sounds is amazing and this tour gave the chance to see it in a relaxed way and not stuffed into a massive cruise filled with a boat at full capacity. The boat is sized at 50% capacity which gives lots of freedom to navigate and take photos. Defo recommend.Written 26 January 2024
- chrispee10 contributionsMilford Sound tour with FiordlandA wonderful day starting with the sun cracking the flags!! Collected on time by Carlin who proved to be the most fun guide you could hope to have . Lots of stops on the way and coming back with expert mobile phone camera advice from Carlin. We learnt so much from him and took some of the most unusual pictures . He's a real character with a host of stories to tell and looked after all of us on the bus so ,so well.Written 15 January 2024
- Chinmay T0 contributionsGreat day exploring FiordlandIf you only have one day to see Milford Sounds, I highly recommend doing the tour from Te Anau with Fiordland Tours when visiting Milford. We stopped along the way to the Sounds about 10-15 times and were able to see so much more of the National Park. Tania was the absolute best tour guide, very friendly, informative, and passionate about the Sounds.Written 11 January 2024
- 182ruthg0 contributionsStress and hassle freeA small group, a very knowledgeable driver, being driven right to the boat and a yummy lunch, what is there not to like😊 We were picked up and dropped off from our accommodation. The best thing is that all three of us were able to enjoy the trip rather than having the responsibility of driving.Written 6 January 2024
- Ari V0 contributionsAmazing Scenery - Must Do as a TourTania, our tour guide, was amazing. She was so knowledgeable and told us so many interesting and funny stories. We made many stops and she would point out exactly what we should be looking for. Overall, it was an excellent day and I would highly recommend.Written 3 January 2024
- Anna S0 contributionsThank you, Sasha!We had a wonderful day with our tour guide, Sasha. She was very personable and full of stories about the area. The van was comfortable and the lunch more delicious and generous than expected. We enjoyed the small-group format and many scenic stops along the way as well as the 2-hour boat ride through Milford Sound. The short walks are optional but highly recommended. There were enough bathroom stops along the way and we were well taken care of with free tea, coffee and cookies on the boat as well as afternoon tea and scones at a picnic area near a meadow full of lupines in full bloom. One tip: book your hotel before booking the tour so you can give the correct pickup point.Written 30 December 2023
- 729michaelr7290 contributionsTour to Must do!It was the best tour, the guidedriver was just brilliant!! Insightful commentary for the whole region, and the local fishing industry. The whole day was a delight, even if the weather had its moments.Written 20 December 2023
- Roxane R0 contributionsMilford SoundThe Milford Sound Tour was excellent! Our tour guide, John, brought the Fiordlands National Park to life for us with a mixture of storytelling, history and ecology. Will definitely recommend this tour to other visitors.Written 4 December 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
5.0
901 reviews
Excellent
877
Very good
23
Average
0
Poor
1
Terrible
0
Franziska B
4 contributions
Jun 2021 • Couples
Jonathan was an excellent tour guide and his knowledge about the area made the experience of exploring Milford Sound very enjoyable. He made sure we got the most out of our tour and stopped at the best stops. I would recommend to book through Fiordland Tours if you are looking to explore the Milford Sound area.
Written 24 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the review. We are stoked you enjoyed your Milford Sound experience with us. We will pass on your wonderful praise to Jono. We are lucky to have him driving for us.
Written 25 June 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Leticia W
Christchurch, New Zealand4 contributions
Went on the coach and cruise. The trip on the coach with Jono was so good. Jono was an exemplary host- he spent time chatting with every member of our party from the oldest of the youngest. He had heaps of information about the geography of the area and the Maori legends of the area. He tailored his tour to our uniquely kiwi group with plenty of stops and opportunities to take photos, ask questions and walk through God zone. Food was amazing and local. Catered well to our groups dietary issues. 100% would recommend.
Written 13 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your amazing review of the tour you did with Jono recently and the time you spent to write it. We enjoy having Jono as a respected member of our team as much as you enjoyed his wealth of knowledge for the day. We hope that you may return one day and enjoy our hospitality again.
Cheers Ray
Written 13 January 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Paul K
Denpasar, Indonesia21 contributions
Wow, wow wow, coach trips can sometimes not live up to reviews, well this one did and more. From start to finish every effort was made to make the day special. Ray our driver new all the best places for photo stops and kept us informed on local history/stories and amused us with quizz questions with chocolates for prizes to help pass time whilst traveling. Being a smaller personal tour Ray was able to switch the itinerary around according to weather conditions to ensure we got the most out of our stops, even putting in extra ones for impromptu photo shoots. The cruise was excellent, with the same attention given to making our trip special, nothing was to much trouble. It was our first visit to Milford and couldn't have wished for a better day. Thanks again Ray, we are now looking to see what else you guys do as we know we will get value for money and won't be disappointed.
Written 10 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for the glowing review. We are so glad you were able to pinpoint what sets us apart from other tours of its kind. We work hard to make our tour more than just transport to the Sounds by making the journey an experience in itself. Thank you so much for coming on board.
Written 11 April 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kerry O
5 contributions
Mar 2020
We had a wonderful day, which started with our enthusiastic, humorous and very knowledgeable coach driver "Jamie". He kept us well informed and entertained throughout the drive, stopping for great photo opportunities. On arriving at Milford Sound we were escorted straight onto our boat, one of the smaller ones, which was fantastic, as we didn't need to queue like others on the larger boats. The crew on our boat were great - lovely young man Ryan informed us about so much, as well as all the Captain's information. We would highly recommend Fiordland Tours for a personalised experience. The day was very well organised and we wouldn't have learnt as much had we done it on our own. Don't forget the Rid!
Written 13 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CHLOE
1 contribution
Dec 2020
Being a New Zealander and living in the south it was time to have a guided tour of Milford Sound and the road to it. Fiordland Tours and Ray lived up to their reputation with a very informative road trip. I learnt so much about the history of the making of this road and the surrounding areas. The stops into and on the return trip from Milford were incredible to actually see that this is in my own backyard!!. Ray went that extra mile to make sure his passengers saw all the beautiful sights such as lakes, waterfalls, flora and fauna and his knowledge of all these was excellent.
The boat trip at Milford Sound from 'CRUISE MILFORD' was awesome on a very well presented boat with lovely staff that were also very informative of the area. This is a day trip not to be missed.
The boat trip at Milford Sound from 'CRUISE MILFORD' was awesome on a very well presented boat with lovely staff that were also very informative of the area. This is a day trip not to be missed.
Written 17 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the wonderful review of our small group tour to Milford Sound. I am delighted to read that you appreciated us "going the extra mile"
It was an absolute pleasure to entertain you and your family for the day.
Regards Ray
Written 18 December 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lorraine
Hamilton, New Zealand4 contributions
Oct 2020
today we were picked up by Jonathon in a bus with 14 others. the experience and knowledge Jonathon shared with us on our bus ride was above and beyond. He knew his stuff and made the whole trip an awesome one. He walked with us through the bush and knew all the plants and pointed out the blue duck sitting on rocks. Stopped often to accommodate our photo needs. Feed us a delicious morning tea and lunch was provided, got us to our boat on time, took awesome penguin photos that he has emailed to those that missed the photo op. The trip home was just as great. Jonathon was a great driver, guide and so knowledgeable, a great asset to your company.
Written 14 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for choosing Fiordland Tours for your day in Fiordland experience. Jono enjoys every day at the "office" and sharing it with others.
Written 15 October 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Craig P
Sydney, Australia653 contributions
Oct 2022
The tour was great from start to finish and very happy with value for money. I would highly recommend taking a small group tour as opposed to the larger ones departing Queenstown with an additional 2 hours each way drive time. Leaving from Te Anau on a very comfortable small bus (no more than 16 people) picked up from our accommodation, allowed us to stop along the way for photo opportunities and walks while the big buses appear to rumble on past. We sailed on one of the smaller cruise boats which was less crowded & very comfortable. Jamie was our driver and guide and his enthusiasm and passion even having done this for over 20 years was infectious. His knowledge of the wildlife, the valley and the Sound really enhanced the experience. Morning tea & Lunch was delicious and the whole day was well planned and catered to everyones needs.
Written 27 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your comprehensive review of the tour you did with us recently. We do value Jamie as part of our team as well.
Regards Ray
Written 29 October 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
nickmR7617FX
17 contributions
Mar 2023
Outstanding trip made all the better by our guide and driver Carlin. He is without doubt the best tour guide I have ever encountered. His commentary was humorous and entertaining and he took us to places where we could get outstanding photos. He is obviously passionate about the Fiordland and he wanted to make our experience special. He transported us in a small bus of 16 people from Te Anau to Milford Sound and we had a magic 1.5hr trip on the Sound, complete with lunch provided by the company. Carlin gave us morning tea with great fruit scones and tea/coffee. He took individual photos of us in a rain forest and they are so good we will be getting them enlarged and framed. Carlin went above and beyond what you would expect from a tour guide and I can't recommend him more highly.
Written 21 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We really appreciate your comments about the tour you did with us recently.
I will pass on your comments to Karlyn who puts 110% of himself into every day.
Regards Ray
Written 21 April 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kevin S
Tauranga, New Zealand4 contributions
Feb 2021
Our tour guide Ray was excellent, nothing was too much trouble, his knowledge on the area was first class and he stopped along the route to show our group all of the amazing sights on the way to the Sound. Tea/coffee/buttered scones and lunch were also provided in the price along with the coach tour and cruise - amazing value for money.
This is an absolute 'Must Do' whilst in the area, one of the best guided tours we've ever experienced! We were only going to spend a day and a half in Te Anau and thanks to Ray's local knowledge we ended staying for nearly 4 days to explore areas he'd told us about.
This is an absolute 'Must Do' whilst in the area, one of the best guided tours we've ever experienced! We were only going to spend a day and a half in Te Anau and thanks to Ray's local knowledge we ended staying for nearly 4 days to explore areas he'd told us about.
Written 22 March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for leaving a review. Ray loved having you on board. We are stoked he could help make the most of your Milford Sound trip and that you enjoyed your extended stay in Te Anau. People are surprised to find Te Anau is more than just a stop on the way to Milford Sound!
Written 23 March 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Catherine
6 contributions
Feb 2021 • Solo
Small group tour was awesome! We had many stops along the way and a few short walks. Morning tea was warm scones and lunch was delicious! Tour guide Jonathon was really knowledgeable about everything and somehow managed to spot some blue ducks in the river, which he went back to show us.even small thoughtful things such as umbrellas for us all. Would absolutely recommend doing this from Te Anau and not driving in yourself as scenery was spectacular and we had time to stop where ever. :)
Written 10 February 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review and the time put aside to write it.
Jonathan seems to be able to attract blue ducks which is quite special as there are not large numbers and we are pleased that you appreciated that.
We are pleased that you enjoyed your tour with us and hope to have you return one day
Regards Ray
Written 11 February 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hi everyone! Can someone please tell me How long is the cruise?
Thank you and have a good day :)
Written 4 October 2019
The cruise on Milford Sound is about 1 and a half hours. We took a full day trip from Te Anua . Drive to Milford is approx 2 hours depending on how many stops you have along the way. It was a rainy day when we went , our driver was fabulous, stopping at less busy tourist spots , for photo opportunities, . His knowledge of the area was outstanding, . I would certainly recommend booking a tour , you can then sit back and enjoy the stunning scenery .
Written 4 October 2019
We are travelling in this area in July 2019. WOndering about the suitability for this trip in winter.... are there regular cancellations, and also... is it better travelling from Te Anau for a trip to Milford sound rather than from Queenstown? Thank you in advance for your reply.
Written 15 April 2019
Also can’t comment on the suitability of this trip in the winter, but I’d strongly advise staying in Te Anau the night before. Much of the day is spent in the van (seeing remarkable sights), and having to do the drive from Queenstown the same day is A LOT of time on the road. Lots of reasonable accommodations in Te Anau.
Written 15 April 2019
We are driving from Queenstown to Te Anau and would like to take a cruise of Milford Sound. What would be the best cruise to take and will we need reservations in advance for February 21st?
Written 3 February 2019
Review of: Full-Day Milford Sound Extraordinaire Tour from Te Anau
We took the early tour with 8:00AM pickup. I recommend that time. Fiordland Tours operates small vans - 16 passenger rather than the big 40-45 person buses you see with other companies. Still big windows for the views, so no downside there. Contributes to better camaraderie within the group and more interaction with the guide. They also connect with a smaller boat on the Sound - maybe 80 person capacity rather than several hundred. Because it was early, we had about 40 aboard, so there was plenty of room.
Sasha, our guide/driver/hostess, is a local who could share all kinds of detail about the area. Most importantly, she is experienced with the tour, and her plan was flawless. We made just a couple stops, but went almost straight to the boat. Sasha encouraged us to eat our lunch as soon as we boarded, while the boat was preparing to depart, so we would not miss anything on the cruise. After the boat cruise, on the return to Te Anau, we made the other advertised stops. As we were going south, we encountered dozens of big buses arriving from Te Anau or Queenstown with thousands more people to fill the boats. So, we had seen all the sights without the massive throngs.
Do NOT take the tour from Queenstown. It is too long of a drive and you will be one or a few among hundreds or more at the same time. Go to Te Anau first. Fiordland Tours cannot be beaten. Book in advance.
Written 4 February 2019
stellamupton
Southampton, United Kingdom
If it is available on 13 February 2019. Before I rearrange bookings.
Thank you.
Written 20 June 2018
stellamupton
Southampton, United Kingdom
Is the full day Milford Sound Extraordinaire Tour from Te Anau available on 13 February 2019?
Written 20 June 2018
I think this tour runs most days of the year. Just go ahead and book it on their website. My wife and I did and it's a small bus tour (so not the crowded big bus) and was excellent value for money with great and attentive staff. We also ordered their pre-packed lunch which just made things so much easier on the day as not many other opportunities to buy food once you are on the tour itself.
Written 21 June 2018
Showing results 1-5 of 5